Increase Engagement in the Learning

In order to move from introduction to sustained use, teachers will need both time and practice, just like their students. This is especially important if they will be evaluated or receive formal feedback down the road. Technology can be used as a mechanism to share or collect information, foster discussion, or even experiment with a new gadget, website, or app. Participants can come prepared by watching videos, reading articles, or contributing to discussion treads on their own schedule, prior to coming to a meeting. Presenting on the same hardware or programs available to the staff often gives the leader additional perspective about how planning and content delivery may be altered. Using grouping and scheduling logistics mirroring Blended Learning models aides in the understanding of these scenarios and how they could be utilized in various instructional settings. Furthermore, establishing ways for participants to connect with the content, such as using strategies or tools to enhance engagement, make for deeper learning and increased satisfaction.

Introduce, Model, and Guide Practice

Just like our students, everyone comes to professional development with a different skill set and level of experience. By intentionally integrating the resources and strategies identified in the organization's Blended Learning plan, district and building administrators can play and important role in setting expectations, modeling best practices, and fostering shared progress. The application of these new approaches into professional learning, beyond the initial training, accomplishes two things. It allows for modeling and guiding practice in a collegial environment and solidifies the expectation of sustained implementation.

Foster Collaboration and Creativity

The education sector, among others, promotes its employee development as a community of professional learners. Elevating training sessions to deeper, more purposeful experiences can be accomplished by employing Blended Learning strategies. Technology can stimulate opportunities for creative partnerships both inside and outside the organization. These collaborations can energize the implementation in new ways, adding creative aspects that meet the unique needs of the community of learners being served.

Instructional leaders have the opportunity to engage adult learners in the Blended Learning models, strategies, and best practices that are often the intended outcomes of implementation plans for new technology purchases and 21st Century learning practices. In Part 2, we'll examine how key factors and approaches can be employed before, during, and after a professional learning experience to broaden and hone the implementation of Blended Learning in your community.